SATURDAY 2ND DECEMBER, 2000 - FA CARLING
PREMIERSHIP
http://www.spursodyssey.co.uk
Scholes, 40
Solskjaer, 84
Referee:- G. Poll
Attendance:- 67,583
Man Utd (4-4-2):- Barthez; P.
Neville, G. Neville, Brown, Silvestre; Beckham, Butt (sub Giggs,
73), Keane, Scholes; Sheringham, Yorke (sub Solskjaer, 73)
Subs not used:- Van der Gouw; Irwin;
Greening Booked:- Yorke (Handball), G. Neville (Foul)
Spurs (3-5-2):- Sullivan; Perry,
Campbell, Thelwell; Carr, Anderton, Sherwood, King, Clemence;
Ferdinand, Armstrong (sub Korsten, 63)
Subs not used:- Walker; Vega; Freund,
Davies Booked:- Ferdinand (Dissent)
(jmd)Listening to a Spurs defeat is
bad enough, but listening to it on Gooner Gold is just that bit
worse! It sounded like we played cautiously, giving ManUre too
much respect (although it is easy to point out, more difficult to
counter on the pitch) and too much space on their right . That
dirty git Scholes scored their first after Perry played him
onside and Solksjaer scored after a mixup with Anderton and
Sherwood presented him with a one on one with Sully, while the
best we managed was a shot from Les which Barthez had to turn for
a corner.
No hammering, but little other
consolation - a real test of our progress will be next week's
visit to Bradford, which no amount of double talk such as no easy
games in the Premiership is a must 3pts - if we can't win here,
even without Anderton, we have real problems.
(Paul Smith)When you play against an
efficient footballing machine like Manchester United, home or
away, you cannot afford to make even one error. This was probably
Spurs most resolute away performance of the season, but sadly a
single lapse in concentration in each half gifted goals to
Scholes and substitute Solskjaer. This was rarely an exciting
match and of course the result was entirely predictable, but
Spurs did have the courage to come out of their shells in the
second half, and for a brief period actually put the opposition
under a little pressure.
Spurs also had a bright start, which
lasted for all of three minutes before the red horde got their
one touch passing and moving game together and advanced in file
upon Sullivan's goal. For the most part, Campbell, Perry and
Thelwell kept the Man Utd away from their goal, but without a
doubt, Sullivan was the busier keeper, and he nearly wilted under
the pressure at one stage, when he miscued a clearance from a
back pass.
Ledley King impressed once again,
and put Barthez in difficulty when collecting a cross from the
right. However, at the other end, Anderton's poor pass was so
nearly punished but Thelwell rescued him this time, with a good
clearance. Sol Campbell's strength won the day, when Butt (who
had numerous chances today) nearly latched onto a long ball from
Sheringham. Butt then fired over the bar from a corner. Sherwood
went down in the Man Utd penalty area in front of the Stretford
End, but referee Poll obviously felt he had been subject to a
fair shoulder charge. Then Sheringham and Beckham were making
ground with exhibition passing, before Roy Keane, in front of
goal, could only shoot wide across the target.
Spurs were relying on the odd long
clearance to build upon, and an Armstrong flick gave Silvestre
problems against the energetic Les Ferdinand. Les got a shot in,
but it was deflected for a corner. Then came Sullivan's
fluffed clearance, but he redeemed
himself with a good save from a Scholes shot. Spurs built again
from a goal kick, with a good passing move from Clemence,
Ferdinand and Perry, before Tim Sherwood tried a long shot that
did not bother Barthez.
There were nerves after 35 minutes,
when Sol fouled Scholes on the edge of the area, and Beckham
stepped up to take the kick. Sullivan parried and Stephen Carr
completed the clearing up operation. Sadly, Man Utd took a timely
lead five minutes before the interval. Sol Campbell could only
half clear from the six yard line as far as Sheringham. The ex-Spur
chipped the ball over the defence, and Scholes had too much room
to play with before turning round Carr, and slotting home from 8
yards.
Early in the second half, Butt was
put through, with only Sullivan to beat. The goalkeeper won the
day, but there was also an offside flag to save Spurs. It was
Butt yet again who forced Sullivan to save on the hour.
Korsten replaced the ineffective
Armstrong, but whilst Spurs got more possession in this half,
they did not get close to goal. Their best move came after 77
minutes when Les Ferdinand ran onto a Carr chipped ball.
Barthez got a touch on Les's close
range effort from a narrow angle, and then both Korsten and
Anderton were thwarted by the defence. Tim Sherwood had a decent
shot blocked from a Clemence left field cross.
The optimists among us were still
holding out hope that we would get something from the game, when
Scholes beat Anderton and Sherwood to a loose ball, and put it
through to Solskjaer, who was in miles of space on the left side
of the area. It was all too easy for him to slide the ball round
Sullivan. Korsten did hit a left foot shot at Barthez in injury
time, but all in all, it was all too easy for Man Utd, who could
afford to keep Giggs on the bench for most of the game, and who
look forward to a much sterner challenge in the Champions League
next week. I feel that Spurs can feel quite pleased with
their performance today,
and we must hope that we finally get
an away win at Bradford next week.